I got up and went to the door, and, to play out my part, hammered
on it frantically; crying out to them to let me in. But the
three travellers only jeered at me, and the landlord, coming to
the window, with his head bleeding, shook his fist at me, and
cursed me for a mischief-maker.
Baffled in this, I retired to a log which lay in the road a few
paces from the house, and sat down on it to await events. With
torn clothes and bleeding face, hatless and covered with dirt, I
was in little better case than my opponent. It was raining, too,
and the dripping branches swayed over my head. The wind was in
the south--the coldest quarter. I began to feel chilled and
dispirited. If my scheme failed, I had forfeited roof and bed to
no purpose, and placed future progress out of the question. It
was a critical moment.
But at last that happened for which I had been looking. The door
swung open a few inches, and a man came noiselessly out; it was
quickly barred behind him. He stood a moment, waiting on the
threshold and peering into the gloom; and seemed to expect to be
attacked.
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